11-19-24
A SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL, WHO WAS SHOT ON NOVEMBER FIFTH ON KIM DRIVE IN OPELOUSAS WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD YESTERDAY. DAVASHA ROBERTSON WAS NOT THE INTENDED TARGET OF THE SHOOTER, ACCORDING TO A COUSIN WHO SPOKE TO KADN TV. THE CHARGE AGAINST THE ALLEGED SHOOTER, TWENTY-THREE-YEAR-OLD DANGER JOHNSON OF OPELOUSAS HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO SECOND-DEGREE MURDER. HE WAS ORIGINALLY CHARGED WITH FOUR COUNTS OF ATTEMPTED SECOND-DEGREE MURDER.
THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS WARNING RESIDENTS OF A PHONE SCAM. A PERSON IMPERSONATING A LAW OFFICER CALLS SOMEONE AND TELLS THEM THEY HAVE AN ACTIVE WARRANT AND THEY NEED TO MAKE A PAYMENT TO GET IT RESOLVED. VALERIE PONSETTI OF THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS NO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY SHE KNOWS OF WOULD CONTACT A PERSON BY PHONE FOR ANY FORM OF PAYMENT. SHE SAYS IF YOU GET ONE OF THESE CALLS TO HANG UP AND GIVE THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE A CALL TO REPORT IT TO THEM.
THE SENATE REVENUE AND FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTTEE WILL UNVEIL A PLAN TODAY THAT WOULD OFFSET REVENUE LOSSES FROM TAX CUTS. ONE IDEA UNDER CONSIDERATION, ACCORDING TO THE ADVOCATE, IS RAISING THE STATE SALES TAX BY HALF A CENT. RAISING THE SALES TAX WOULD SPARE SOME SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS FROM GIVING UP THEIR TAX BREAKS. THE LEGISLATIVE SPECIAL SESSION HAS TO END BY MONDAY.
THE IDENTITY OF FOUR PEOPLE KILLED IN A MOBILE HOME FIRE IN SULPHUR HAS NOT YET BEEN RELEASED. FIREFIGHTERS RESPONDED AT AROUND FOUR A-M SUNDAY AND WHILE PUTTING OUT THE FIRE, WHICH FULLY ENGULFED THE HOME, THEY FOUND THE FOUR VICTIMS. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION BUT THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL’S OFFICE SAYS IT APPEARS THE FIRE STARTED IN THE UTILITY ROOM. SULPHUR ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF CHRIS VICE SAYS THEY FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF SMOKE DETECTORS IN THE HOME.
THE SECOND SUSPECT IN THE ROBBERY OF A DOLLAR GENERAL STORE IN RAYNE WAS ARRESTED YESTERDAY BY LAFAYETTE PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES. TWENTY-EIGHT-YEAR-OLD DEARREO JONES OF CARENCRO WAS BOOKED INTO THE LAFAYETTE PARISH CORRECTIONAL CENTER ON A CHARGE OF ARMED ROBBERY WITH A FIREARM ENHANCEMENT. RAYNE POLICE CHIEF CARROLL STELLY SAYS THE OTHER SUSPECT, THIRTY-YEAR-OLD RAYVON GORE WILLIS OF LAFAYETTE WAS ARRESTED FRIDAY ON THE SAME CHARGE BY LAFAYETTE POLICE OFFICERS. THE TWO ARE ACCUSED OF WEARING FACE MASKS AND HAVING AT LEAST ONE HANDGUN WITH THEM WHEN THEY ROBBED THE DOLLAR GENERAL THURSDAY NIGHT OF TWENTY-EIGHT DOLLARS.
GUIDELINES HAVE BEEN RELEASED BY THE LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM ABOUT TOMORROW NIGHT’S SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, IN WHICH THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER THE CLOSURE OF SOME SCHOOLS IN THE PARISH. SEATING CAPACITY FOR THE FOUR P-M MEETING WILL BE LIMITED TO THREE HUNDRED FIFTY-EIGHT AND PEOPLE WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO STAND IN HALLWAYS OR CORRIDORS TO ENSURE ACCESS TO EXIT POINTS. TICKETS WILL BE GIVEN TO ATTENDEES ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE BASIS AND, IF ANYONE LEAVES EARLY, THEIR TICKET WILL BE GIVEN TO THOSE WAITING OUTSIDE. PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE LIMITED TO ONE HOUR EACH FOR FIVE AGENDA ITEMS.
GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY’S OFFICE SAYS THE OFFICE OF MOTOR VEHICLE’S REINSTATEMENT PROGRAM IS BEING REFORMED TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO RESIDENTS AND TO GET DRIVERS BACK ON THE ROAD. CURRENTLY THERE ARE MORE THAN THREE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND LOUISIANA RESIDENTS SADDLED WITH UNPAID FINES. UNDER THE PROGRAM, THE AMOUNT OWED CAN BE RESET TO THE ORIGINAL FINE AND THE OMV WILL PULL BACK THE FEES. TO TAKE PART, RESIDENTS WITH FINES SHOULD CONTACT THE O-M-V AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
THE CHARGE AGAINST THE SUSPECT IN THE SHOOTING DEATH OF A FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD BOY IN VILLE PLATTE HAS BEEN UPGRADED. THE TEENAGER WAS SHOT AND KILLED AT HIS HOME LAST MONTH AND THE SUSPECT, CHRISTOPHER MARQUEES, CALLED POLICE AFTER THE SHOOTING. AFTER BEING INTERVIEWED, HE WAS ARRESTED ON A CHARGE OF NEGLIGENT HOMOCIDE. THE AUTHORITIES SAY THE CHARGE HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO SECOND-DEGREE MURDER AND HIS BOND HAS BEEN SET AT ONE-POINT-FIVE MILLION DOLLARS.
